Refrigerator having panel assembly

Abstract

Provided are a refrigerator and a control method thereof. The refrigerator is characterized by enabling at least a part of a refrigerator door to be selectively transparent by a user's operation, such that the user sees through an inside of the refrigerator while the refrigerator door is closed.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A refrigerator comprising:
 a cabinet configured to form a storage space; 
 a first door configured to open and close the cabinet and having a first opening which is in communication with the storage space, the first door including:
 an outer plate configured to form at least a portion of a front surface of the first door, 
 a door liner configured to from at least a portion of a rear surface of the first door, 
 a cap decoration provided at an upper or lower region of the door, 
 a door frame provided between the outer plate and the door liner and configured to at least partially form the first opening, 
 an insulation provided in an internal space which is at least partially defined by at least one of the outer plate, the door liner, the cap decoration, or the door frame, 
 a lamp case provided within the internal space and mounted on the door liner, 
 a lamp cover coupled to the lamp case, 
 a lamp printed circuit board (PCB) mounted on the lamp case, and 
 a light emitting diode (LED) mounted on the lamp PCB; 
 
 a second door configured to open and close the first opening and having a second opening; and 
 a panel assembly provided at the second opening and configured to allow at least a portion of the storage space to be seen through the panel assembly from outside of the refrigerator when the LED emits light. 
 
     
     
       2. The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the lamp case includes a recess which forms a recess space therein. 
     
     
       3. The refrigerator of  claim 2 , wherein the lamp case further includes a first case installation region and a second case installation region that are provided at respective ends of the recess of the lamp case. 
     
     
       4. The refrigerator of  claim 3 , wherein the first case installation region contacts an inner surface of the door liner, and the second case installation region contacts an inner surface of the door frame. 
     
     
       5. The refrigerator of  claim 3 , wherein each of the first case installation region and the second case installation region includes a cover insertion groove in which the lamp cover is inserted, and
 the lamp cover includes cover fixing protrusions which are inserted into cover insertion grooves. 
 
     
     
       6. The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the lamp case further includes a rounded surface that faces the lamp PCB, and
 the rounded surface is configured to receive and reflect light emitted from the lamp PCB toward the lamp cover. 
 
     
     
       7. The refrigerator of  claim 6 , wherein a reflecting film is provided on the rounded surface. 
     
     
       8. The refrigerator of  claim 6 , wherein the lamp cover is configured to transmit the light reflected by the rounded surface of the recess therethrough, and configured to shield an opening of the recess. 
     
     
       9. The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the lamp case further comprises a lamp PCB installation region at which the lamp PCB is installed. 
     
     
       10. The refrigerator of  claim 9 , wherein the lamp cover extends in a first direction, and the lamp PCB is fixed to a surface of the lamp PCB installation region such that a surface of the lamp PCB on which the LED is installed extends in a second direction that intersects the first direction. 
     
     
       11. The refrigerator of  claim 1 , further comprising a film provided on the lamp cover. 
     
     
       12. The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the panel assembly includes:
 a front panel made of a see-through material, 
 an insulation panel which is spaced apart from a rear surface of the front panel in a front and rear direction, and 
 a spacer bar provided between the front panel and the insulation panel. 
 
     
     
       13. The refrigerator of  claim 12 , wherein the lamp case further includes a rounded surface that faces the lamp PCB, and
 the lamp PCB is positioned between the front panel and the rounded surface. 
 
     
     
       14. The refrigerator of  claim 12 , wherein the lamp PCB is positioned to face the front panel. 
     
     
       15. The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the panel assembly incudes a front panel made of a see-through material,
 the door frame includes a frame step that contacts the second door when the second door is closed, and 
 the frame step is positioned between the front panel and the lamp PCB. 
 
     
     
       16. The refrigerator of  claim 1 , further comprising a gasket provided at a perimeter of a rear surface of the door liner, and
 wherein the gasket overlaps the lamp case in a vertical direction. 
 
     
     
       17. The refrigerator of  claim 16 , wherein a distance between the gasket and a front surface of the panel assembly is greater than a distance between the lamp PCB and the front surface of the panel assembly. 
     
     
       18. The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the second door includes a gasket in contact with the door frame when the second door closes the first opening, and
 the gasket is provided between the lamp PCB and a front surface of the panel assembly. 
 
     
     
       19. The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the second door includes a gasket in contact with the door frame when the second door closes the first opening,
 the lamp case includes a rounded surface configured to receive and reflect the light emitted from the LED, and 
 the lamp PCB is positioned between the rounded surface and the gasket. 
 
     
     
       20. A refrigerator comprising:
 a cabinet; 
 a first door connected to a cabinet and including:
 an outer plate configured to form at least a portion of a front surface of the first door, 
 a door liner configured to from at least a portion of a rear surface of the first door, 
 a door frame provided between the outer plate and the door liner and configured to form at least a portion of a first opening between the front and rears surfaces of the front door, 
 a lamp case recessed from the door liner and including a reflective surface; 
 a lamp cover coupled to the lamp case, and 
 a lamp mounted on the lamp case and outputting light in a first direction toward the reflective surface, the reflective surface reflecting the light in a second direction toward the lamp cover; and 
 
 a second door configured to open and close the first opening of the first door, the second door including:
 at least one transparent panel configured to form at least a portion of a front surface of the second door and configured to transmit the light from the lamp to an outside of the refrigerator.